ShadowBound: The Need For Power-Chapter 592: The Course (2)

All along the edge, the students stood frozen in place, their earlier momentum dying as they stared downward. What spread beneath them was not a simple drop but a wide mud-flat broken by darker patches—subtle depressions that looked innocent enough from above yet carried the unmistakable promise of hidden sink-pockets.

The surface glistened faintly with moisture, uneven and treacherous, as if the ravine itself had been designed to punish haste and reward only those who could read the land properly. A few students swallowed hard, others leaned forward cautiously, trying to judge depth and firmness, their thoughts clearly turning inward as uncertainty began to creep in.

Questions circulated silently among them. Could they cross without getting trapped? Was it better to slide down slowly or leap outright? Each second spent standing there felt heavy, the tension stretching as no one wanted to be the next example sprawled in the mud below.

Liam found himself doing the same—assessing, calculating, letting his gaze trace the ravine’s contours. Then his eyes caught movement farther ahead. Charlotte.

She was already deep within the ravine, well beyond the initial descent, moving at a pace that was neither reckless nor hesitant. Her steps were measured, precise, her body flowing naturally as she navigated the unstable ground. She shifted her weight smoothly, never lingering too long in one spot, never overcommitting. To Liam, it was obvious: she wasn’t guessing. She was reading the terrain, instinctively adjusting to every subtle change beneath her feet.

His focus sharpened. ’So that’s it.’

He followed the faint impressions she had left behind—disturbed mud, compressed patches where her feet had landed safely, the subtle curve of a path that avoided the darker, more treacherous spots. The realization settled in quickly, almost with a quiet sense of triumph.

’Jackpot.’

Without warning, Liam pushed off from the edge.

Gasps rippled behind him as his body dropped cleanly into the ravine, boots hitting the mud with a controlled impact. He didn’t stop. He moved immediately, stepping where Charlotte had stepped, matching the rhythm she’d set. His mind remained calm, detached, focused entirely on efficiency. The logic was straightforward. Charlotte was clearly attuned to this terrain—her balance, her control, her awareness were far beyond most of the others. If she had already made it this far without faltering, then her route was proven. Reliable.

He could chart his own path, of course. He had the awareness for it. But that would take time—extra caution, extra thought, unnecessary delays. Following her trail cut through all of that. No overthinking. No hesitation. Just movement.

Behind him, Asher watched with a tightening jaw.

That familiar irritation flared in his chest, sharp and immediate. The sight of Liam surging ahead, not stumbling, not slowing, struck a nerve. The idea of letting him pull further ahead was intolerable. His competitiveness, long restrained, surfaced fully now, pushing aside caution.

’Damn it.’

Asher’s eyes flicked rapidly between Liam and the disturbed trail in the mud. He understood what Liam was doing almost instantly, and that understanding made his decision for him. The path would be weaker now—two bodies would strain the already unstable ground—but it was still a path. Still faster than forging a new one.

He leapt.

Asher landed harder than Liam had, boots skidding briefly before he regained control. Mud splashed up his legs, but he didn’t stop. He followed, teeth clenched, movements sharp and aggressive, trusting his balance and reflexes to carry him through. It wasn’t just about keeping up with Liam—it was about proving he could take the same risks and come out just as strong.

Ahead of him, Charlotte continued onward, unaware or unconcerned with who followed. Liam maintained his steady pace behind her, adapting subtly as the ground began to change under repeated use. Each step demanded more precision now, the mud growing looser, the impressions less reliable. Still, the three of them moved, a quiet line of intent cutting through the ravine.

From above, the remaining students watched in silence.

One by one, more of them arrived at the edge, eyes widening as they took in the scene below—three figures already advancing while the rest hesitated. The realization spread quickly. Waiting would only cost them time. Slowly at first, then with growing resolve, more students began to jump down into the ravine, some choosing to follow the same worn path, others attempting their own routes.

The ravine, once still, came alive with movement, the test unfolding exactly as intended.

It happened only moments later. Charlotte reached the far end of the ravine, her steady progress finally bringing her to the point where the ground began to rise again. Without hesitation, she reached for a vine that hung deceptively loose along the slope, testing it once before committing her weight. With practiced ease, she climbed, muscles working smoothly as she maneuvered herself upward, careful not to let the slick mud beneath sabotage her final ascent. When her boots finally met solid ground, she pulled herself fully out of the ravine and straightened.

She gave her body a sharp shake, much like a cat would, forcing clumps of mud to fling free from her clothes and limbs. The worst of it fell away, leaving only streaks and smears behind.

Once she was steady, Charlotte turned slightly and looked back down into the ravine. Her eyes traced the scene below—students still navigating the mud-flat, some moving cautiously, others far less fortunate. A few were visibly trapped, one leg sunken deep, others stuck nearly to the waist, their movements slow and desperate as they struggled against the sucking pull of the wet soil.

A faint smirk curved her lips.

Her gaze then lowered further, drifting closer to the edge where she stood. It didn’t take long for her eyes to find Liam. He was still within the ravine, roughly a hundred meters away, moving with controlled precision. Just behind him—closer, perhaps fifty meters back—was Asher, his progress more aggressive, less fluid, but relentless. Both of them were thoroughly coated in mud, and it was immediately clear to her what they had done.

They followed my path.

Charlotte stepped closer to the edge and lowered into a slight crouch, her attention locking solely onto Liam. A sly, mischievous smile slowly spread across her face, her golden-brown eyes glinting with playful intent.

"You want me sooo much you even followed the trail I left behind, hmm, bae~" she purred, her tone dripping with teasing allure as she watched him carefully.

Liam, meanwhile, remained entirely focused on his footing. Every step was deliberate, every shift of weight calculated to avoid sinking into one of the hidden pits scattered throughout the ravine. He neither looked up nor reacted to her words, his expression unchanged as he continued forward.

The lack of response didn’t bother Charlotte in the slightest.

"Your silence is really lovely to hear," she said lightly, amusement dancing in her voice. Rising back to her full height, she stretched once before turning away from the edge. "Well, guess I’ll see you back at the clearing, babe. Byyyye~"

With that, she pivoted and took off into the forest, her figure disappearing swiftly between the trees, leaving the ravine—and the chaos within it—behind her.

Only moments after Charlotte vanished, Liam reached the end of the ravine himself. He grasped the same tricky vines she had used, pulling himself upward with steady strength. Mud slid from his boots as he climbed, and when he reached solid ground, he paused just long enough to clear some of the grime from his face.

"Majority of people are really going to get stuck here for a while," he muttered, glancing back down into the ravine where several students were still struggling.

As he did, a grunt sounded from below.

Liam looked down and spotted Asher nearing the end, hands gripping the vines as he hauled himself upward with visible irritation etched across his face.

"The crap are you looking at, huh, weakling?" Asher snapped, shooting Liam a sharp glare as he climbed.

Liam’s lips curved into a faint smirk. "Is it really right to call me weakling when I’m ahead of you?" he replied calmly, the sly edge in his tone subtle but unmistakable. Turning away, he added quietly, "See you at the clearing, blue flames."

Without waiting for a response, Liam pushed off and sprinted into the forest, his form quickly swallowed by the trees.

"That son of a—" Asher growled, teeth clenched as frustration surged through him. He redoubled his effort, hauling himself fully onto solid ground. The moment his feet landed, he didn’t waste a second to recover. He surged forward, muscles burning as he launched himself after Liam.

"Like hell I’m going to sit back and let you finish before I do."